Air-lift pump



Sept. 11,1928. 1,683,930 I H. M. STAGG$ 7 Filed June so, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AIR LIFT PUMP HORACE M. STAG-GS,

I, 1,683,930 PATENT OFFICE.

01? DALLAS, TEXAS,

AIR-LIFT PUMP.

Application filed .Tune 30,

This invention relates to air lift pumps. and it comprises a pump particularly adapted for ejecting oil or water from deep wells by meansof pneumatic pressure; said pump 1ncluding a regulating valve disposed within the well casing near the bottom thereof, tubing strings attached to the regulating valve,

' means for admit-ting water or oil within the tubing, and means permitting the application of pneumatic pressure through the valve to the oil or water within the tubing to eject the Same; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

It is customary to force liquids, such as oil and water, from deep wells by means of air pressure. Apparatus for effecting this ejection are termed air lifts, andmany arrangements have been proposed for utilizing the principle. Some are quite complicated in construction, and hence are objectionable because of the difliculty experienced in maintaining the parts in condition. ,Others require the use of a plurality of concentrically disposed pipes, and are costly to install. Still other systems necessitate the application of an excessive initial air pressure, and are therefore objectionable since the auxiliary apparatus is unduly expensive.

' It is the purpose of thepresent invention to provide an air lift pump, simple in construction. requiring a minimum of parts, and highly eflicient in its utilization of air, there; bymeeting the urgent requirements of low initial cost and operation. A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated on the accompanying'drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view, partially in elevation and partially in cross-section, oft-he upper portion of a deep well with a pump installed therein; v

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the lower portion of the well;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a regulating valve; and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are transverse-cross-sectional views of the valve shown in Fig. 3, taken respectivelyon the lines 4-4, 5-5 and 6+6.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the water or oil level 10 is reached by means of-a drilled hole, defined by a metallic casing 11, which is formed of a plurality of joined sections of pipe. The upper end of the casing 11, which is disposed at about the ground level, has secured thereto a header 12 provided with an inlet port 13, by means of which air under 1927. Seria1 No. 202,555.

pressure is delivered from a suitable source, (not shown), to the liquid to be raised. A pipe or tubing 14, disposed within and in concentric relation to the casing 11, projects through the header 12, and is likewise provided with a smaller header 15 having an outlet port 16 for the liquid forced to the surface by the air entering through the port 13. The header 15 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture for the reception of a rod 17 that is adapted to be reciprocated by a suitable source of motive power, not shown. The rod 17 terminates within the tubing 14, and is there attached to a chain or flexible link 18 which extends to a plunger or weight 19,.by means of which an air lift regulating valve may be actuated.

The tubing 14 extends nearly to the bottom of the well, where it terminates in a regulat- 1ng valve, indicated generally by the reference numeral 21, to which it is secured by a suitable means, such as a screw-threaded connectlon (Fig. 3). The lower end of the valve 'is formed with a concentric recess 23 which is adapted to receive another section of tubing 24 that extends to the liquid level and which is provided with a ball valve 25 at its lower extremity to control the entrance of liquid. The space between the casing 11 and the lower tubing section 24 is sealed by means of a packer 26, which is positioned just below the valve 21, and which prevents the passage of fluid in the casing upwardly and exteriorly of the valve 21.

The regulating valve serves to divert air or gas introducedinto the upper portion of the casing through the port 13 into the lower section of the tubing 24 to efi'ectvits lifting operation onliquid contained therein. For this purpose, the valve 21 is formed with closable passages, as bestillustrated in Fig. 3.

As there illustrated, the valve 21 is formed with a screw-threadedrecessed portion 27 for the reception of the upper tubing section 14. Secured to the, floor 28 of the portion 27 is a guide 29, provided with a centrally disposedaperture 31 for the reception of a valve stem 32 which also projects through the floor of the member .21. The guide 29 is partially surrounded by a flanged telescoping sleeve member 34 to which is secured the upper extremity of'the stem 32. A coiled spring 35,

disposed between the flange 36 on the member 34 and the guide 29, serves to force the sleeve 34 upwardly.

Beneath the guide 2 9 is an enlarged duct 37, provided with a lateral port 38 at its upper end, a valve seat 39 in its mid portion, and a second lateral duct 41 adjacent its lower portion, extending to the outer surface of the member 21. The duct 37 is closed below the port 41 by means Tot a plug 42, which is advantageously a separate part positioned in the member 21. The valve stem 32 terminates adjacent the valve seat 39 in a valve 43, and, by virtue of the pressure of the spring 35, this valve 43 normally rests on the seat 39,

- thereby closing the passage extending from the lateral port 41 and the oppositely extending port 38.

The port 38 does not extend to the outer surface of the valve member 21, but terminates in a longitudinally extending chamber 45, sealed from the recess 27 by means of a Wall 46, and extending below the plug 42. At this region, the chamber 45 merges into a transversely disposed port 47 which extends through a wall 48, spacing the chamber 45 from the duct 37, into a concentrically disposed recess 49 that extends from below the plug 42 to the bottom of the valve 21.

The recess 49 is provided with ascrewthreaded portion 51, in which is disposed a length of. pipe or tubing 52, that projects downwardly through the packer 26 nearly to the ball-valve 25 positioned in the tubing 24. The lower portion of the valve 21 is counterbored to form a recess 53, and is also provided with screw threads 54 for the reception of the tubing 24, which extends downwardly, in the manner previously described, concentrically of the pipe 52.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the valve 21 is drilled in a longitudinal direction at a suitable number of points to provide apertures or vents 55 which permit the flow of mixed gas and liquid from the lower tubing section 24 to the upper section 14 and thence out of the well.

Air or gas entering through the port 13 into the casing 11 flows downwardly until it meets the packer 26, when it is diverted through the port 41 into the duct 37 in the valve 21. Here it is met by the valve 43, resting on the valve seat 39, which prevents passage into the chamber 45 through the lateral port 38. In operation, however, the rod 17 disposed at the upper end of the .well, is constantly reeiprocated, thus moving the weight 18 up and down, and causing it to strike intermittently and periodically on the sleeve member 34. The force of the blow is sufiicient to drive the valve stem 32 downwardly against the force exerted by the coiled spring 35, thus effecting a periodic opening of the valve 43, and permitting the passage OfCOlTlPIBSSEd air from the casing 11 into the chamber 45. Air admitted into this chamber flows downwardly, by virtue of its pressure, through the lateral-port 47 and the v pipe v52. It is there ejected into the liquid from the well which has entered the tubing 24 through the ball-valve 25 during the pethrough the apertures 55 into the upper tub-- ing sections 14, and thence out of the well through the port 16.

It will be noted that the regulating or control valve 21 is simple in its construction,

and has few moving parts to become broken.

Should the vents 55 be clogged by particles of sand, the pressure may be momentarily reversed, and compressed air directed downwardly through the tubing 14 to-dislodge any grit that has collected The liquid is forced to the surface by means of periodic impacts of compressed air, which may occur at such frequent intervals as to make the delivery practically continuous. The simplicity of the valve construction permits of rapid operation, which is often advantageous, and is also possible with this invention because of the elimination of back pressures that otherwise would increase the'time factor of operation.

There is practically no back pressure exerted on the valve 43, and hence a slight hy drostatic pressure exerted by-the liquid in the well permits the casing 24 to be filled through'the valve25 in a minimum amount of time. This feature is of importance, as it permits the application of the air lift principle to small wells, wherein the hydrostatic head is often very small.

In working with such small wells, the volume of fluid delivered and the pressure may be so low as to render'the application of air pressure alone through the port 13 im' is still possible to eject fluid fromthewell by operating under vacuum instead of pressure. A reduced pressure or vacuum is applied to the port 16, thereby exhausting the air in the tubing 14 and 24 and the pipe 52. The air entrapped in thecasingsection 11 below the packer 26 and the liquid level 10 is thus permitted to expand, forcing fluid through the ball-valve 25 and so out of the well. operating under vacuum, it is unnecessary to actuate the regulating valve 21, the closure of the valve 43 preventing the ingress of air that would break the vacuum. The well may be pumped both with pressure or vacuum, by providing a suitable control valve on the port 16. Under certain conditions, it isdesirable to operate alternately; the pressure in the casing 11 being built up while blowing with air, and then being utilized in the manner just described. The alternate methods of operation are possible without change in the ap- When para-tus, since the passages for air extend from the top of the well to the bottom thereof. The invention has a further advantage in that it eliminates a separate tubing for conducting the air down to the point of application. The casing itself serves this purpose, while the upper tubing sections are suliicient for the discharge of both liquid and spent air. As the casing is relatively large in compari son to the air tubings heretofore employed, this feature possessesthe' further advantage of decreasing the frictional losses attendant on the use of pipes of small diameter. Obviously, the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of n'iodifications without departing from the principles of the invention. Thus, a rigid link could be connected between the rod 17 and the valve sleeve .34, but the construction shown is preferred, as it eliminates the possibility of shaft distortions during'use.

What I claim is:

1. An air lift comprising a well casing, a regulator valve disposed in the casing, tubingconnected to opposite sides of the valve, a packer disposedbelow the valve, an air delivery pipe extending downwardly from the valve in the tubing, a passage extending from the outer surface of the valve to the pipe, a closure member in said passage, means for operating said closure member, and means permitting the passage of fluid from one tubing section to the other.

2. An .air lift comprising a Well casing, a regulating valve disposed in the casing, a tubing extending from the upper portion of the well to the valve and terminating therein,

a tubing extending from the lower portion of the valve downwardly adjacent the bottom of the casing, avalve disposedat the lower extremity of the lower tubing, .apacker disposed between the casing. and the lower tubing to seal the space therebetween, a pipe extending downwardly from the valve within the lower tubing, means for admitting compressed air to the upper portion of the easing above the packer, a passage extending from the casing through the valve to the pipe, means for periodically opening and closlng the passage to admit an from the casing to .the pipe, and means permitting the flow of ber. a valve for the seat, resilient means for normally holding the valve on the seat, an enclosed chamber formed in the member, and provided with a wall spacing it from the aperture, a passage through said wall above the valve seat connecting said aperture with said chamber, a centrally disposed recess formed in the member below the aperture, a passage extending from the chamber to the recess, and a plurality of vents formed in the member permitting the passage of fluid from one side of the member to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HORACE M. STAGGS. 

